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110 A Book of Precious Stones
formed,
have fallen into this common error of recognising the word carbuncle as
the name of a specific gem. Probably almost any fiery-red translucent
ornamental stone in the days of ancient Rome was called carbunculus, derived from carbo, coal,
and the name was bestowed because of the internal fire-like colour and
reflection which is a common characteristic of the various stones now
generally termed garnets. The garnet is among the stones earliest
mentioned in the surviving literature of all ancient languages.
Almandite
derives its names from Alabanda, a city in the ancient district of
Caria, Asia Minor; whence garnets were introduced to ancient Rome. The
most highly valued specimens of almandite, for a long period, came from
localities not known to the western world, but they were supposed to be
mined near the city of "Sirian " in old Pegu province, Lower Burma, and
were called " Sirian garnets." So careful an investigator and high an
authority as Dr. Max Bauer, in his monumental work on precious stones,
states that Syriam, the ancient capital of Pegu, is now but a small
village in the British province of Lower Burma near the great trade
centre of Rangoon. A resume of the facts evolved by Dr. Bauer shows
that no
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